Immunohistochemical Assessment of Transthyretin Association with Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: To explore the association of transthyretin (TRR) with colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression. METHODS: This study was conducted on 12 normal colorectal tissue samples, 15 colorectal adenomas, and 39 colorectal adenocarcinoma tissue specimens. TTR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and the results were correlated to clinicopathological characteristics of CRC patients. RESULTS: TTR staining was detected in 16.7% (2/12) of normal colon tissues, 46.7% (7/15) of colorectal adenomas, and 89.7% (35/39) of colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues. TTR staining scores in normal colon tissues, adenoma, and adenocarcinoma were 0.58, 2.27, and 5.40, respectively. G3 grade adenocarcinoma had a higher TTR staining score compared with G2 and G1 grades (8.40, p = 0.0009). Lower TTR expression was significantly associated with metastasis (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: TTR expression is positively correlated with adenoma to CRC progression. Thus, TTR has the potential to serve as a predictive marker in CRC.